1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drum which is suitable for a bass drum, snare drum, marching drum, etc.
2. Prior Art
The drum main bodies of drums such as common bass drums, snare drums, marching drums, floor toms, etc. are basically formed from a single type of material. The drum main bodies provide percussive sound resonance and act as a reinforcing member that supports the drumhead and snappies (acoustic wires).
FIG. 4 illustrates a conventional snare drum shown in an inverted (upside-down) position, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the essential portion of this drum.
Top-side and bottom-side drumheads 2 (2a, 2b) which consist of natural leather or a resin film (e. g., a polyester resin, polycarbonate resin, etc.) are stretched over both opening ends of a cylindrical drum main body 1 by means of a plurality of head supporting and tensioning means 3. The air column (not shown) inside the drum main body 1 sealed by the drumheads is caused to act as a vibration-transmitting medium and generate a drum sound. For example, when the top-side drumhead 2a is struck with a stick, the internal air column transmits the resulting vibration to the bottom-side drumhead 2b; and when the bottom-side drumhead 2a thus vibrates, the internal air column transmits this vibration to the top-side drumhead 2a. As a result, the drumheads 2a and 2b repeatedly vibrate and produce a drum sound.
It is, therefore, required for a drum main body to stably maintain its shape, so that the drum main body undergoes no deformation caused by climactic conditions, tension on the top-side or bottom-side drumheads. It is also required for a drum main body that there be little deviation in the tone and that there be no auto-vibration or auto-absorption.
In the meantime, the tone color of drums varies according to the material used for drum main bodies. In a drum main body made of metal or a synthetic resin, the transmission velocity of the sound is high. Thus, the drum main body is superior in terms of high-tone characteristics, and the sound attenuation time is short. As a result, a light, sharp sound with a bright reverberation is produced. On the other hand, a drum main body made of wood has a slow sound transmission velocity and is therefore superior in terms of low-tone characteristics. In addition, with wooden drum bodies, the sound attenuation time is longer. As a result, with wood main drum body, a sound with greater warmth in terms of tone quality and a more settled reverberation can be obtained than a drum main body made of metal or a synthetic resin.
The above-described heat supporting and tensioning means 3 are generally constructed from annular head frames 5, annular tightening frames (rims) 6, tightening bolts 8, and other components. The annular head frames 5 are fitted over the outer circumference of the drum main body 1 and hold the circumferential rim portions of the drumheads 2. The annular tightening frames (rims) 6 are fitted over the outer circumference of the drum main body 1 and press the head frames 5. The tightening bolts 8 connect the rims 6 and lugs 7 that are fastened to the outer circumferential surface of the drum main body 1. When the rims 6 are moved in the axial direction by rotating the tightening bolts 8, the pressing force of the rims 6 on the head frames 5 varies, and as a result, the tension of the drumheads 2, i.e., the tone color of the drum, varies.
As described above, drums produce a characteristic tone color depending upon the type (size) of the drum, the materials used and other factors. However, in general conventional drums, the drum main body 1 is basically formed from a single type of material; and adjusting devices (strainers) 10, that cause the lugs 7 and snappies 9 to contact the drumhead 2b and separate the lugs 7 and snappies 9 from the drumhead 2b, are fastened to the outer circumference of the drum main body 1. Accordingly, a single drum can only be enjoyed in a single mode. In other words, it is impossible to vary the depth of a drum main body. It is also impossible to play a drum that made of a combination of different materials.
The present invention solves the above-described problems.
The object of the present invention is to provide a drum with which different modes can be played by way of using a drum body of different materials and/or structures.
The above object is accomplished by a unique structure for a drum in which drumhead(s) is stretched over the open end(s) of a drum main body by means of head supporting and tensioning means, and the unique structure of the present invention is that the drum main body is constructed from first and second drum body elements and a third drum body element which is axially interposed between the first and second drum body elements.
In this structure, the first, second and third drum body elements are formed from two or more different materials or different structures.
Furthermore, fittings such as bolts, lugs and clamps are attached to the third drum body element.
In the drum body structure of the present invention, the materials of the first, second and third drum body elements are arbitrary. A plurality of drum body elements consisting of respective different materials may be used for the first, second and third drum body elements, so that drum playing in different modes with different tone colors, etc. can be enjoyed by combining these drum body elements. One conceivable example of a drum body element with a different structure is that the drum body element to which bells are attached as in a tambourine. Fittings such as bolts, lugs and clamps can be attached to the third drum body element.